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Objectives
1. The Parties undertake to step up economic cooperation in their mutual interest and in the spirit of partnership which is at the root of this Agreement. 2. The objective of economic cooperation shall be to support Algeria's own efforts to achieve sustainable economic and social development. 3. Such economic cooperation is in keeping with the objectives set out in the Barcelona Declaration.
Scope
1. Cooperation will be targeted first and foremost at areas of activity suffering the effects of internal constraints and difficulties or affected by the process of liberalising Algeria's economy as a whole, and more particularly by the liberalisation of trade between Algeria and the Community. 2. Similarly, cooperation shall focus on areas likely to bring the economies of the Community and Algeria closer together, particularly those which will generate growth and employment, and foster the development of trade flows between Algeria and the Community, notably by encouraging the diversification of Algerian exports. 3. Cooperation shall foster economic integration within the Maghreb group of countries using any measures likely to further such relations within the region. 4. Preservation of the environment and ecological balances shall constitute a central component of the various fields of economic cooperation. 5. The Parties may determine by agreement other fields of economic cooperation.
Methods
Economic cooperation shall be implemented in particular by: (a) regular economic dialogue between the Parties covering all areas of macro-economic policy; (b) communication and exchanges of information; (c) transfer of advice, expertise and training; (d) implementation of joint actions; (e) technical, administrative and regulatory assistance; (f) measures to support partnerships and direct investment by operators, in particular private operators, and privatisation programmes.
Regional Cooperation
In order to maximise the impact of this Agreement vis-à-vis the development of the Euro-Mediterranean partnership and within the countries of the Maghreb, the Parties shall foster all activities which have a regional impact or involve third countries, notably: (a) economic integration; (b) development of economic infrastructure; (c) environmental matters; (d) scientific and technological research; (e) education, teaching and training; (f) cultural matters; (g) customs matters; (h) regional institutions and the establishment of common or harmonised programmes and policies.
Scientific, technical and technological cooperation
Cooperation shall be aimed at: (a) encouraging the establishment of permanent links between the Parties' scientific communities, notably by means of: — the access of Algeria to Community technological research and development programmes, in conformity with Community provisions concerning the participation of third countries in those programmes; — the participation of Algeria in decentralised cooperation networks; — the promotion of synergy between training and research; (b) strengthening research capacity in Algeria; (c) stimulating technological innovation, the transfer of new technologies and know-how, implementation of technological research and development projects and optimisation of the results of scientific and technical research; (d) encouraging all activities aimed at establishing synergy at regional level.
Environment
1. The Parties shall encourage cooperation in preventing deterioration of the environment, controlling pollution and ensuring the rational use of natural resources, with a view to ensuring sustainable development and guaranteeing the quality of the environment and the protection of public health. 2. Cooperation shall in particular focus on: — issues related to desertification, — rational water resource management, — salinisation, — the impact of agriculture on soil and water quality, — the appropriate use of energy and transport, — the impact of industrial development on the environment, in particular the safety of industrial plant, — waste management, in particular toxic waste, — the integrated management of sensitive areas, — the control and prevention of urban, industrial and marine pollution, — use of advanced environmental management and monitoring tools, particularly environmental information and statistical systems, — technical assistance, in particular for the preservation of bio-diversity.
Industrial cooperation
Cooperation shall be aimed at: (a) encouraging or supporting measures designed to promote direct investment and industrial partnership ventures in Algeria; (b) encouraging direct cooperation between the Parties' economic operators, including cooperation in the context of access for Algeria to Community business networks and decentralised cooperation networks; (c) backing the effort to modernise and restructure Algeria's public and private sector industry (including the agri-food industry); (d) fostering the development of small- and medium-sized enterprises; (e) fostering an environment which favours private initiative, with the aim of stimulating and diversifying output for the domestic and export markets; (f) making the most of Algeria's human resources and industrial potential through better use of policy in the fields of innovation and research and technological development; (g) supporting the restructuring of industry and the industrial upgrading programme with a view to the creation of the free trade area so as to make products more competitive; (h) contributing to the development of exports of Algerian manufactures.
Promotion and protection of investments
The aim of cooperation shall be to create a favourable climate for investment flows, in particular by means of the following: (a) the establishment of harmonised and simplified procedures, co-investment machinery (especially to link small and medium-sized enterprises) and methods of identifying and providing information on investment opportunities; (b) a legal environment conducive to investment between the two Parties, where appropriate through the conclusion by the Member States and Algeria of investment protection agreements, and agreements to prevent double taxation; (c) technical assistance to schemes to promote and guarantee national and foreign investments.
Standardisation and conformity assessment
Cooperation shall aim at reducing divergences in standardisation and certification. Cooperation shall be realised in particular through: — encouraging the use of European standards and conformity assessment procedures and techniques; — upgrading Algerian conformity assessment and metrology bodies and helping to establish the necessary conditions for the eventual negotiation of mutual recognition agreements in these fields; — cooperation in the area of quality management; — providing assistance to the Algerian bodies responsible for intellectual, industrial and commercial property and for standardisation and quality.
Approximation of laws
Cooperation shall be aimed at helping Algeria to bring its legislation closer to that of the Community in the areas covered by this Agreement.
Financial services
Cooperation shall be aimed at the improvement and development of financial services. This will basically involve: — the exchange of information concerning financial regulations and practices and training schemes, in particular with a view to the creation of small and medium-sized enterprises; — support for the reform of Algeria's banking and financial system, including development of the stock market.
Agriculture and fisheries
Cooperation shall be aimed at the modernisation and restructuring, where necessary, of the agriculture, forestry and fisheries sectors. It shall in particular be aimed at: — support for policies geared to developing and diversifying production, — food security, — integrated rural development, including improvement of basic services and development of ancillary economic activities, — promoting environmentally-friendly forms of agriculture and fisheries, — the evaluation and rational management of natural resources, — establishing closer relations, on a voluntary basis, between enterprises, groupings and professional organisations representing the agricultural, fisheries and agri-business sectors, — technical assistance and training, — harmonising phytosanitary and veterinary standards and checks, — cooperation between rural areas, exchange of experience and know-how on rural development, — support for privatisation, — the evaluation and rational management of fish stocks, — support for research programmes.
Transport
The aims of cooperation shall be: — to support the restructuring and modernisation of transport, — to improve the movement of passengers and goods, — the establishment and enforcement of operating standards comparable to those prevailing in the Community. The priority areas of cooperation shall be: — road transport, including the gradual improvement of transit, — the management of railways, airports and ports and cooperation between the relevant national authorities, — modernisation of road, rail, port and airport infrastructure on major trans-European routes of mutual interest and routes of regional interest, and navigation aids, — upgrading of technical equipment to bring it up to Community standards for road/rail t ransport, inter-modal transport, containerisation and transhipment, — technical assistance and training.
Information society and telecommunications
Cooperation in this field shall focus in particular on: — a dialogue on issues related to the different aspects of the information society, including telecommunications policies, — the exchange of information and provision of any technical assistance required on regulations and standardisation, conformity testing and certification of information and communication technologies, — the dissemination of advanced information and telecommunication technologies, including satellite technology and information services and technologies, — the promotion and implementation of joint projects for research, technical development or industrial applications in information technologies, communications, telematics and information society, — giving Algerian bodies the opportunity to participate in pilot projects and European programmes under the specific arrangements pertaining to them in the sectors concerned; — the interconnection and interoperability of Community and Algerian networks and telematic services, — technical assistance with the planning and management of the radio frequency spectrum with a view to coordinated and effective use of radio communications in the Euro-Mediterranean region.
Energy and mining
The aims of cooperation in the energy and mining sectors shall be: (a) institutional, legislative and regulatory upgrading to ensure that activities are regulated and investment promoted; (b) technical and technological upgrading to prepare energy and mining companies for the requirements of the market economy and competition; (c) the development of partnerships between European and Algerian companies in the activities of exploration, production, processing, distribution and services in the energy and mining sectors. The priority areas of cooperation in this respect shall be: — adaptation of the institutional, legislative and regulatory framework of activities in the energy and mining sectors to market economy rules by means of technical, administrative and regulatory assistance, — support for efforts to restructure public enterprises in the energy and mining sectors, — building partnerships in the areas of, — oil and gas exploration, production and processing, — electricity production, — distribution of petroleum products, — production of equipment and services used in the production of energy products, — developing and transforming the potential of mining, — development of gas, oil and electricity distribution, — support for the modernisation and development of energy networks and for their linking to European Community networks, — the setting-up of databases on the mining and energy sectors, — the support and promotion of private investment in energy and mining sector activities, — the environment, the development of renewable energies and energy efficiency, — the promotion of technology transfers in the energy and mining sectors.
Tourism and the craft sector
Cooperation in this field will principally be aimed at: — stepping up the exchange of information on flows and policies on tourism, spa tourism and craft trades, — stepping up hotel administration and management training schemes and training in other areas of the tourism and craft sectors, — promoting exchanges of experiences with a view to the smooth and sustainable development of tourism, — encouraging youth tourism, — helping Algeria to develop its potential in the area of tourism, spas and crafts and to improve the image of its tourism products, — supporting privatisation.
Cooperation in customs matters
1. The aim of cooperation shall be to ensure compliance with the free trade arrangements. The priority areas shall be: (a) the simplification of customs controls and procedures; (b) the introduction of a single administrative document similar to the Community's and a possible link-up between the Community and Algerian transit systems. Technical assistance may be provided where necessary. 2. Without prejudice to other forms of cooperation envisaged in this Agreement, notably for the fight against drugs and money laundering, the administrative authorities of the Contracting Parties shall provide mutual assistance in accordance with the provisions of Protocol No 7.
Cooperation in statistics
The main objective of cooperation in this sphere should be to ensure, in particular through the harmonisation of the methods used by the Parties, the comparability and usefulness of statistics on foreign trade, public finance and balance of payments, population, migration, transport and communications, and generally all the fields covered by this Agreement. Technical assistance may be provided where necessary.
Cooperation on consumer protection
1. The Parties agree that cooperation in this area should be aimed at making their respective consumer protection systems compatible. 2. Cooperation shall focus mainly on: (a) the exchange of information on legislative activities and exchanges of experts, in particular consumer interest representatives; (b) the organisation of seminars and training courses; (c) the establishment of permanent systems of mutual information on dangerous products, i.e. those which constitute a hazard to health or consumer safety; (d) improving information provided to consumers especially on prices, characteristics of products and services offered; (e) institutional reforms; (f) technical assistance; (g) the establishment of Algerian laboratories for comparative analysis and testing and assistance with the introduction of a decentralised consumer information system; (h) assistance with the organisation and introduction of a warning system to be integrated into the European system.
Given the particularities of the Algerian economy, both Parties shall establish the methods and procedures for implementing the economic cooperation activities agreed pursuant to this Title in order to support the process of modernising the Algerian economy and the creation of the free trade area. The identification and evaluation of requirements and the procedures for implementing the economic cooperation activities shall be examined in a framework to be introduced in accordance with the conditions laid down in Article 98. The Parties shall agree on the priorities to be carried out in the abovementioned framework.
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